Exclusive interview with Viktor Bout sharing thoughts on Brittney Griner & details of prisoner swap

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  • Опубліковано 7 вер 2023
  • Convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was exchanged for WNBA star Brittney Griner in a dramatic prisoner swap in December sits down with ESPN in his first U.S. media interview since he was released from prison. The interview with the man known as the Russian “Merchant of Death” takes place via Zoom at an undisclosed location in Russia is conducted by TJ Quinn. Bout addresses questions about Griner, his conviction in 2011 on felony counts including conspiracy to kill Americans, and how he became part of the highest-profile prisoner exchange since the Cold War.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 182

  • @alexstones2960
    @alexstones2960 9 місяців тому +314

    The fact that the US didn't even get any first round picks in this trade is crazy

    • @DNDN8llz
      @DNDN8llz 9 місяців тому +5

      😂😂😂😂😂

    • @GreenlightBze
      @GreenlightBze 9 місяців тому +4

      They did in the sec traffic market

    • @EbokArk
      @EbokArk 9 місяців тому +1

      Solid comment 😂

    • @ChuckwaldMartin
      @ChuckwaldMartin 9 місяців тому

      Hunter Biden was sent to do quality control on minors?@@GreenlightBze

    • @overdosehtxboxing-ss2sx
      @overdosehtxboxing-ss2sx 3 місяці тому

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @trentonpower1823
    @trentonpower1823 9 місяців тому +45

    How TF is ESPN interviewing an intl arms dealer

  • @DORAEMON-bw8jk
    @DORAEMON-bw8jk 9 місяців тому +136

    Victor seems like a very nice guy. He sells weapons for a living without an arms license.

    • @sprayer97
      @sprayer97 9 місяців тому +15

      also seems like a pretty straight forward guy. what he says is what u get. no lies or 2nd intentions at all

    • @SoloSneakerMaine
      @SoloSneakerMaine 9 місяців тому +19

      I thinks it's a little weird to be seeing this on ESPN but that's just me, I guess....

    • @SoloSneakerMaine
      @SoloSneakerMaine 9 місяців тому +10

      ​@@sprayer97yes its almost as if ESPN is portraying him positively...... and they are giving him a platform. After he was released from a federal prison because he contributed to cause harm and death to American people. This is very bizarre to me and actually pathetic in my opinion

    • @mdx799
      @mdx799 9 місяців тому +1

      @@SoloSneakerMainebetter him than griner

    • @anoofadam351
      @anoofadam351 4 місяці тому

      @@SoloSneakerMaine oh please. americans cause harm and death to american people and nothing get done.
      victor was a prisoner of war, a war that ended. he should have been free

  • @DAllen985
    @DAllen985 9 місяців тому +117

    "Merchant Of Death" sound like a Batman Villain 😂😂

    • @MichaelWilliams-ti7pn
      @MichaelWilliams-ti7pn 9 місяців тому

      No they stole that line from Iron Man (2008) the very first one with the reporter asking Tony about how nick names

    • @Defort-jd8xe
      @Defort-jd8xe 9 місяців тому

      Fitting name for somebody that transported US TROOPS during their illegal Iraq invasion that killed millions of civilians.

    • @pikjp
      @pikjp 6 місяців тому +4

      @@MichaelWilliams-ti7pnNo, this term is way older than that. Older than Iron Man comics

    • @ayandamasina3816
      @ayandamasina3816 3 місяці тому +1

      Americans are always dramatic

    • @boomerboired5533
      @boomerboired5533 3 місяці тому

      @@MichaelWilliams-ti7pn its way older lmao u dont even know

  • @Dylan-rh5ie
    @Dylan-rh5ie 7 місяців тому +69

    Can always count on ESPN to cover trade details

  • @FaTCaKeSs1995
    @FaTCaKeSs1995 9 місяців тому +127

    Bro anyone thinking how the f-- ESPN got this guy

    • @GabrielGarcia-jf2uc
      @GabrielGarcia-jf2uc 9 місяців тому +4

      The comment I was looking for, mind boggling

    • @fprv
      @fprv 7 місяців тому +1

      And why is nobody talking about it??

    • @davienfarr493
      @davienfarr493 7 місяців тому +4

      lol they said Bout actually likes ESPN😂😂

    • @mephisto2348
      @mephisto2348 3 місяці тому

      It's not that shocking to me. News outlets wouldn't let him control the narrative, and would absolutely ask more hard hitting questions. He got to paint himself as a perfectly agreeable person to the average person that knows little to nothing of his crimes.

  • @amarirasheed6
    @amarirasheed6 9 місяців тому +179

    I miss Viktor. Is it too late for this trade to be rescinded?

    • @mphommopi3728
      @mphommopi3728 9 місяців тому +5

      😂😂😂😂😂

    • @boris2997
      @boris2997 9 місяців тому

      Lmao 🤣 🤣 🤣 you won the best comment of the day 🤣 😂 😆 😄

    • @andrem.thomas332
      @andrem.thomas332 9 місяців тому +3

      It is let's send your Mom instead

    • @PSICK1234ikillallracistrolls
      @PSICK1234ikillallracistrolls 9 місяців тому

      Typical racist azz white ppl .

    • @rickydicky5889
      @rickydicky5889 3 місяці тому

      @@andrem.thomas332 No, we will send you and your boyfriend Brittany Griner.

  • @flexkill1
    @flexkill1 9 місяців тому +18

    Russia gets John Wick USA gets Juwanna Mann. Seems fair.

  • @chasebriscoefan14
    @chasebriscoefan14 9 місяців тому +32

    This is a worse trade than the Babe Ruth sale to the Yankees

  • @ayejason6408
    @ayejason6408 3 місяці тому +16

    he seems chill like someone you could drink a beer a smoke a cigar with

  • @georgep8501
    @georgep8501 9 місяців тому +48

    The problem was that Viktor successfully competed against the US in selling weapons on the international black market!

    • @jeshkam
      @jeshkam 6 місяців тому

      By "US" you mean who exactly? The Army? Government? Politicians?

    • @georgep8501
      @georgep8501 6 місяців тому +5

      Only Obama and Eric Holder can give the most accurate answer.😆

    • @jeshkam
      @jeshkam 6 місяців тому

      @@georgep8501 Putin?

    • @vrsimulo1234
      @vrsimulo1234 4 місяці тому +1

      Yup!

    • @garrettspivey
      @garrettspivey 3 місяці тому

      He was convicted of conspiracy, not actually doing it.

  • @young_bee
    @young_bee 9 місяців тому +52

    America needs a new Gm, we got fleeced in this trade

  • @marine76a
    @marine76a 9 місяців тому +23

    How is this guy more likeable than Griner or Lebron lmao

  • @P4RK3R1Z3D
    @P4RK3R1Z3D 4 місяці тому +10

    I'm just in awe at the spectacle of this _Call of Duty_ villain hanging out somewhere in a Hawaiian shirt giving interviews. All's well that ends well, I guess?

  • @eheike
    @eheike 9 місяців тому +22

    Dude sounds pretty chill tbh

  • @jayprod.4355
    @jayprod.4355 9 місяців тому +34

    Worst trade of all time

  • @Defort-jd8xe
    @Defort-jd8xe 9 місяців тому +8

    Americans LOVE to ignore the fact that his biggest crime was transporting US TROOPS to Iraq.

  • @zeljkodjuric91
    @zeljkodjuric91 8 місяців тому +17

    I dislike arms businesses, whether a private person or government is trading them but Viktor seems like genuinely cool dude

  • @Stokey1
    @Stokey1 9 місяців тому +5

    Insightful interview

  • @anthonyflater1996
    @anthonyflater1996 9 місяців тому +31

    It's been months since we swapped a killer for an average basketball player who went to another country with drugs. Sounds about right

    • @alexhunt.
      @alexhunt. 8 місяців тому +7

      not a killer

    • @hemendraravi4787
      @hemendraravi4787 3 місяці тому +2

      if he is a killer then everyone working/contributing in the defense sector is also a killer in some way .

    • @mephisto2348
      @mephisto2348 3 місяці тому +2

      @@hemendraravi4787 That is a huge over simplification. The people working in the sector rely on the people selling said guns to go through the proper channels. They don't knowingly produce firearms with the intent of killing innocent people.
      This man knowingly engaged in the sale of firearms he knew to be obtained illegally, then circumvented international law numerous times to procure and deliver said firearms to known enemies of the US. This is a far cry from assembling a bolt carrier in a factory. I don't know what you are smokin, but I need some.

    • @ayandamasina3816
      @ayandamasina3816 3 місяці тому

      Killed who? Name the victims please. You Americans and your stupid drama.

    • @exit281
      @exit281 3 місяці тому

      0.7 g ganja oil is not a drug..!!!!
      if u call 0.7 ganja oil a drug than there is more harmful drug in your cholesterol medicine man..

  • @jamesearnshaw1601
    @jamesearnshaw1601 9 місяців тому +41

    How tf are they trading an arms dealer for someone that took an illegal drug into Russia

    • @SosaA11
      @SosaA11 9 місяців тому +9

      Cannabis oil sound more hardcore when you call it a “illegal drug” lol

    • @K1NG931
      @K1NG931 9 місяців тому +2

      "She. Was. Innocent."
      - Malika Andrews A Smith Qerim

    • @RealEstateBaby
      @RealEstateBaby 9 днів тому

      So if a country that has decriminalized cocaine had their citizen fly here with cocaine the US has no right to prosecute them right? Thats your logic.​@@K1NG931

  • @SirTenToes
    @SirTenToes 9 місяців тому +25

    Trade looks ok rn he has regressed big time

  • @sanuthmenuka3949
    @sanuthmenuka3949 8 місяців тому +3

    Bro is chilling in a beach shirt

  • @boris2997
    @boris2997 9 місяців тому +30

    Victor loves America more than Britney 😂

  • @infinitegaming1015
    @infinitegaming1015 9 місяців тому +7

    We didn’t even get a lottery pick out of this 😑

  • @GbawlZ
    @GbawlZ 9 місяців тому +18

    I don't understand why they didn't ask him for the juicy deets about prison life and his impression of what it was like, whether he learned English inside, etc. I get that he has done horrible things, but I'd like to think those would be the automatic questions you would ask someone in his position. The headlines from this interview were things that were already asked when the swap first happened.

    • @2ninetynineplustax
      @2ninetynineplustax 6 місяців тому +4

      His line of work you gotta learn your potential buyers language he speaks 5 languages fluently lol

    • @SportZFan4Ever
      @SportZFan4Ever 4 місяці тому

      He learned English in Russia. He also speaks Portuguese and German as he studied those languages in Russia.

    • @heisenberg7415
      @heisenberg7415 3 місяці тому

      He worked as translator In soviet military and held the rank lieutenant colonel, he knew english, Portuguese, French, Arabic, farsi, Esperanto, Xhosa, and Zulu. Some say that he Major in Gru part of soviet air force or even the KGB, overall a pretty dangerous dude.

  • @DODARD1983
    @DODARD1983 9 місяців тому +18

    This is mixing politics with sports. This will definitely trigger Britney Griner

    • @jop23ify
      @jop23ify 9 місяців тому

      Espn started cocksucking Ukraine ages ago

    • @aztro187
      @aztro187 9 місяців тому +5

      Screw that dude

  • @corruptsociety9146
    @corruptsociety9146 9 місяців тому +5

    Worst trade deals in the history of trade deals

  • @keonnorris9728
    @keonnorris9728 9 місяців тому

    Why ESPN?

  • @LuiCypher
    @LuiCypher 9 місяців тому +4

    Wonder why they edited out Griner and Bout handshake . . .

  • @MistaAmazin
    @MistaAmazin 9 місяців тому +5

    She was playing for a Russian basketball team??? That was her problem right there!

  • @RedNovaDello
    @RedNovaDello 9 місяців тому +6

    When he says their crimes outloud it sounds so STUPID! We lost this deal smh gave up the franchise player for a 2090 conventional 2nd round bucket of Gatorade! With the 99th pick in the draft the United States of America selects…. Gatorade cups

  • @green5052
    @green5052 9 місяців тому +5

    It’s like trading Lebron for Ben Simmons.

  • @TheRealChrisBeard
    @TheRealChrisBeard 9 місяців тому +2

    No trade should have been made. Not sure how we couldn’t reach another deal involving money / resources.

  • @SnappingTurtle444
    @SnappingTurtle444 9 місяців тому +8

    Award winning journalism ... Bravo 👏

  • @ashafoster8175
    @ashafoster8175 9 місяців тому +17

    Danny Ainge for President. Would have least brought back Paul Whelan in the deal

    • @NesTyzen-ql4xc
      @NesTyzen-ql4xc 9 місяців тому

      No, thank you. Marc Fogel and Paul Whelan needed to be included in the trade for Americans to accept it.

  • @KingSebastian10
    @KingSebastian10 9 місяців тому

    So ESPN interviewing criminals now ? Ok I see y’all 😂

  • @CMoneyBounceHouse
    @CMoneyBounceHouse 9 місяців тому +1

    …definitely thought this was a satire video at first. Had to double check that it was the actual ESPN.

  • @rohitgautam6693
    @rohitgautam6693 4 місяці тому

    Espn doing some real journalism 👏

  • @richardcoreno
    @richardcoreno 9 місяців тому

    Wow...and the Player To Be Named Later did not have to be used.

  • @cagonzal13
    @cagonzal13 5 днів тому +1

    Viktor seems like a nice guy who knows what to believe.

  • @knockout9446
    @knockout9446 9 місяців тому +5

    We need a biopic of Brittany staring Colin Kapernick as Brittany.

  • @DAllen985
    @DAllen985 9 місяців тому +7

    That swap was not even at all😮😂😂

  • @elie1612
    @elie1612 6 місяців тому

    what a bargain exchange LOL

  • @codyjboudreaux
    @codyjboudreaux 9 місяців тому +5

    ESPN you do know most of America dislikes the non-patriot. WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THE TRADE

  • @elpaiser428
    @elpaiser428 9 місяців тому +3

    Is this a Disney exclusive 🤔

  • @coffeebeansbruh4311
    @coffeebeansbruh4311 4 місяці тому +2

    I Love Lord of War, I really do, it's my first movie I Mention to anyone

  • @BlackFabio
    @BlackFabio 9 місяців тому +2

    The government hiding something 😂😂😂

  • @beeslikethat
    @beeslikethat 9 місяців тому +7

    The greatest trade in Russian sports history

  • @mathewban
    @mathewban 9 місяців тому +4

    No one would care if she was still in Russia😂💯

    • @myslef7636
      @myslef7636 3 місяці тому +1

      what about they/them/ze/zem/se/sem/je/jem/ke/kem/le/lem/se/sem/pe/pem/qe/qem/te/tem/fe/fem/ge/gem/xe/xem/ce/cem/be/bem/ne/nem/me/meme and other lgbtqazxswedcvfrtgbnhyujmikolp+ characters?

  •  3 місяці тому

    Being war lord, paid with mastercard. Being released by cannabis oil - priceless 😆

  • @andrewiskb24
    @andrewiskb24 9 місяців тому +5

    We traded a Russian arms dealer for a WNBA star 💯💯🔥🔥

  • @Pyrrhic537
    @Pyrrhic537 9 днів тому

    He was with what he thought were dangerous Colombians. Imagine if he had said, " No, I don't agree I want out." He had to say what he said to survive.

  • @wanderingseth
    @wanderingseth Місяць тому

    He might or might not be a terrible person but Ron Swanson himself would be proud of that moustache

  • @ElwoodBluesAK
    @ElwoodBluesAK 14 днів тому +1

    Welcome home hero

  • @devenk4117
    @devenk4117 3 місяці тому

    Victor Bout is not the Merchant of Death. The biggest arms dealer of all time was Sarkis Garabet Soghanalian who is the real merchant of death.

  • @rikishikato5001
    @rikishikato5001 21 день тому

    Bout looks like every white American dad who's reaaaaaaaally into sports

  • @Blacksmith8rock
    @Blacksmith8rock Місяць тому

    2:11 the fact he said "some" is crazy. everyone. outrage from everyone that cares about this country.

  • @Bruno62
    @Bruno62 9 місяців тому +4

    4:34 after being locked up for 10 years, I’m happy that Viktor is still able body and his mind is sharp.

  • @jonathaningram8157
    @jonathaningram8157 4 дні тому

    I actually want to know more about this guy life.

  • @TheRealChrisBeard
    @TheRealChrisBeard 9 місяців тому +1

    Don’t trust this guy, he knows 4+ languages, doing an interview with him is crazy, didn’t mention so many things, I bet he’s been working on the Ukraine fight.

  • @pacersnrams781
    @pacersnrams781 9 місяців тому +9

    He doesnt seem that bad

    • @zeljkodjuric91
      @zeljkodjuric91 8 місяців тому +3

      He has a bad reputation because of companies that dislike healthy competition

    • @vrsimulo1234
      @vrsimulo1234 4 місяці тому

      Exactly! Not his fault

  • @calebbraswell9109
    @calebbraswell9109 9 місяців тому +8

    seems like a nice guy

  • @johnsonle9440
    @johnsonle9440 9 місяців тому +2

    There a lot of bad trade this by far the absolute worst

  • @GregSkinner
    @GregSkinner 9 місяців тому +4

    this dude is a FREE man. 😮

  • @bengalnation88
    @bengalnation88 9 місяців тому +2

    If we can get him back he has my vote for a congressional seat. Kind of surprised ESPN didn’t vote him female of the year.

  • @marshallking8026
    @marshallking8026 2 місяці тому

    Be prepared for a sequel to the movie Lord of War

  • @Binja017
    @Binja017 Місяць тому

    The term Woj bomb isnquite fitting for this trade

  • @ricolives1166
    @ricolives1166 9 місяців тому

    Comments are going to be good on this video

  • @Alan-ii9te
    @Alan-ii9te Місяць тому

    Viktor did nothing wrong. His arrest was purely political, just as griners arrest. Classic cia vs kgb rivalry.

  • @kevinJ6665
    @kevinJ6665 8 місяців тому

    Yet we still have THOUSANDS in prison here in America for weed…. Smh brittney isn’t even a good basketball player… such a garbage trade she’s lucky. I would have left her locked up.

  • @bryanfowler2039
    @bryanfowler2039 3 місяці тому

    Do you think they had a blunt and 40oz for her on the plan

  • @johnnyjones7993
    @johnnyjones7993 9 місяців тому +4

    This was the equivalent of trading Timothy Mcveigh for Venus Williams.

  • @-C.S.R
    @-C.S.R 9 місяців тому +3

    Lord of war 2 🙏

  • @caper087
    @caper087 9 місяців тому

    Why is this a topic on espn? 🤦‍♂️

  • @FudgePoptheChaplin
    @FudgePoptheChaplin 9 місяців тому

    Phil Jackson for President , this is why smh

  • @bryanfowler2039
    @bryanfowler2039 3 місяці тому

    They leave our own military

  • @michaelolmedo6764
    @michaelolmedo6764 9 місяців тому +2

    Love when U.S.A. takes a moral hog ground. The hypocrisy.

  • @miken5545
    @miken5545 Місяць тому

    Outrage waa different. Russria wantex him back. A signifigcant amout of Americans had no desire of this bad trade.

  • @LilCurt1993
    @LilCurt1993 9 місяців тому +1

    Mind y’all this man is a whole global terroirs and ESPN airing this lmaooo

  • @MobDj.
    @MobDj. 9 місяців тому

    Ok…

  • @privatehudson4432
    @privatehudson4432 2 місяці тому +3

    I would rather have him then Brittany any day seems like a cool guy

    • @jellyfishtube
      @jellyfishtube 2 місяці тому +1

      He's getting old. Need to settle down. Now he's into politics.

  • @kendrickl5913
    @kendrickl5913 9 місяців тому

    ESPN always using any excuse to get political its hilarious

  • @michaelolmedo6764
    @michaelolmedo6764 9 місяців тому +2

    Worst trade in history…..

  • @strokemycactus.3274
    @strokemycactus.3274 9 місяців тому +1

    Goofy mixing politics and sports 🤡

  • @marsspacex6065
    @marsspacex6065 9 місяців тому

    Britney Griner is responsible for all the deaths (probably tens of thousands) this man caused and will not face justice for the rest of his life. I would never allow myself to be traded for this person i would rather serve my sentence than have that on my conscious.

  • @justinpelletier4015
    @justinpelletier4015 9 місяців тому +1

    YOURE NOT A POLITICAL NEWS ORGANIZATION!

    • @calebbraswell9109
      @calebbraswell9109 9 місяців тому

      why are you mad tho. A basketball player was involved. Basketball is a sport.

  • @privatehudson4432
    @privatehudson4432 2 місяці тому +2

    You want to know who is the Biggest arms DEALER on earth is ? The United States its not even close

  • @privatehudson4432
    @privatehudson4432 2 місяці тому +2

    She broke the law period

  • @Bruno62
    @Bruno62 9 місяців тому +1

    2:29 25 years just for talking…. I’m glad he’s Free

  • @Jus1408
    @Jus1408 8 місяців тому

    This is like a team trading for Ben Simmons. Fire the GM!